Pollster: Public has 'moved very substantially' on gays in military

The following report was written by Tom McIlroy of the Washington bureau.

A leading Democratic pollster predicted Wednesday that the impending repeal of the U.S. military’s controversial “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy will foment very little public opposition.

Stan Greenberg (Christian Science Monitor photo)

The reason, Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg said, is a dramatic shift in public attitudes in the 17 years since then-President Clinton adopted the policy requiring gay military personnel to remain closeted or face expulsion.

“Attitudes have moved very substantially … from where they were in 1993,” Greenberg told a meeting with reporters hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.

Greenberg cited a recent poll conducted for the liberal Center for American Progress that found just 35 percent of the American public supports the current Pentagon rule while 54 percent wants it repealed.

“The country is in an impressive place,” said Greenberg. “There is no other issue that I’ve seen that is less polarizing — it’s so improbable.”